Vacation Bible School 2007

If you are looking for ways to entertain your child during the summer holidays, don't forget Vacation Bible School. Besides being entertaining, it is a learning experience that will enable your child to have fond memories for years to come. Summer camps are great too, but they usually have a fee, whereas most churches do not charge a fee for attending their Vacation Bible School in hopes that families that are not members, will soon become members.

Vacation Bible School has been traced back to Illinois in 1894 when a young, unmarried teacher decided that there were not enough hours on Sundays to teach children as much as they needed to know about the bible. She began a four week summer program, held in the local school, in which she had forty children enrolled.

In 1898, Eliza Hawes, began an "Everyday Bible School" where she taught slum children in a rented beer parlor in New York. Dr. Robert Boville of the Baptist Mission Society heard of her program and recommended it to other Baptist churches. In 1922, the World Association of Daily Bible School was founded by Dr. Boville.

Today, the national association is gone and churches run their own programs, usually lasting about a week. They teach elementary aged children lessons such as forgiving others, sharing, obeying their parents and religious education by using skits, puppet shows, arts and crafts, games and songs. Maybe, you remember some of these religious songs from Sunday School or Vacation Bible School when you were a child: If You're Happy and You Know It, Jesus Loves Me, Jesus Loves the Little Children or This Little Light of Mine.

Most of the Vacation Bible School classes that I attended as a child ended the week with a program, such as a play, performed by the children, for their parents, friends and other family members to enjoy.

Churches usually post on their marquees dates and times that they will be holding their Vacation Bible School classes. If you are not a member of a particular church that is of your religious affiliation, be sure to let your child attend that church for Vacation Bible School, as well as your own. The experience will only increase their appreciation and religious knowledge and may offer you the opportunity to experience a different congregation and preacher/pastor adding to your religious experiences. If the church is not of your religious affiliation, you might let your child attend, in order to give them religious diversification.

Besides swimming and the family vacation, give your child something to remember this summer, give them knowledge and memories that will last a lifetime. Give yourself the satisfaction of knowing you added to your child's well-being.

If the children have you stressed this summer, make sure that they attend, it will allow your family to grow and allow yourself the time to recoup, allowing positive enforcement for the family.